Oeville cooley



(No Model.)

0. UOOLEY.

GHAIN BELT TIGHTENER.

Patented Sept. 18 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT Price.

ORVI LLE OOOLEY, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHNSTON HARVESTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CHAiN=BELT TIGHTENERJ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,835, dated September 18, 1888.

Application filed November 9, 18::7. Serial No. 254,720.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORVILLE COOLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and-State of New York, have invented a new and useful Chain- Belt Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in chain -belt tighteners in which a fiat open- 70 link chain is used in conjunction with toothed sprocket wheels, the teeth of which engage the chain entering the open links, and by which the power is transmitted to the mechanism to be driven; and the objects of my improvements are to provide a simple device that shall act as a chain guide and tightener,

with means for adjusting the same, so as to take up more or less of the slack of the chain,

as may be desired. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a chain-driving mechanism with the tightener in working position. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the tightening-lever detached, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of the chain detached.

Similarletters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

A represents the driving sprocket-wheel, A

the driven sprocket-wheel, and B the chain connecting the sprocket-wheels for transmit ting power.

O is acurved lever, having semicircular lugs c c projecting laterally from the free end of 5 the lever, the one a being upon the extreme end of the said lever,while c is located nearer the pivotal end of the same.

0" is a flange risingfrom the convex side of lug c,while c is a like flange depending from 40 the convex side of lug c.

D is a bracket, having vertically-placed adjusting-holes (Z for the reception of the pivotbolt d, upon which the lever O is hung, so as to allow of an up-and-down motion to the lug or free end thereof, the operation of which will now be described."

The sprocket chain is placed upon the sprocket-wheels, encircling the same, and is also made to pass between the lugs c 0, being (No model.)

over one lug and underneath the other one, the said chain being kept from lateral displace ment by the flanges a" 0 upon the one side and by the lever 0 upon the reverse side, so that the chain at all times remains in coactive position with the tightening-leveryand when in motion runs between the lugs, but causing the chain to run upon an angle more or less acute, as the pivotal end of the lever is raised or lowcred.

It is well known that flat-linked sprocketchains having the numerous joints necessary for their work are liable to become stretched by long use, and in order that the slack may be taken up I have provided a bracket, D, havingseveral ad j usting-holes placed in avertical 6 5 line, so that as the chain becomes lengthened the bolt (1 can be removed and the pivotal end of the lever raised, allowing the bolt to be placed in a hole higher up, thus bending the chain,and causing it to run upon an angle more acute, thereby taking up the slack, as will be readily understood without further description. Herein I have shown the tightener as applied to a harvester and connected to the driving-wheel thereof; but I do not wish to confine myselfto thespecific mechanismshown, as the tightener can be used upon a chain of any desired length or for driving any kind of machinery to which it is applicable.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the sprocket-chain, the sprocket-wheels, and the pivoted tightening-lever having the convex lugs projecting 8 laterally from one side near the free end thereof, and between which lugs the chain passes, in the manner described, and for the purpose hereinbefcre set forth.

2. The combination, with the sprocketwheels, sprocket-chain, and pivoted lever, of the bracket D, having the lever adjusting holes, and bolt (1, substantially as described, and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

ORVILLE OOOLEY.

\Vitnesses:

G. \V. FORD, E. J. MOOKFORD. 

